Unité d'habitation

Project

Construction of this Housing Unit was begun in April 1965 and the first stone was laid on 21 May. Financed by the local social housing authority, the building on pilotis was conceived in terms of the ‘collective city’ concept. Its dimensions are similar to those of the Marseilles Housing Unit: 130.35 m long, 21 m wide and 50 m high, on 20 levels.

The 18th and 19th floors housed the school and daycare centre and the 20th the playground and an open-air theatre. On the other levels were 414 apartments of 32 different types (between 25 m² and 113 m²). These were accessible via seven ‘interior streets’ also providing access to the shops. They were mainly two-level flats with dual east-west aspects.

Le Corbusier was hampered in completing the building by unsatisfactory financing from the municipal housing authority. The sound and thermal insulation did not meet his demands, nor did the finishes on the facade. In addition, the budget did not allow the building of garages and cellars. 

Building work ended in October 1967, André Wogenscky having taken over project management of the site following Le Corbusier’s death on August 27, 1965.